logo
UK Government ‘to blame' for Scottish North Sea firm job cuts

UK Government ‘to blame' for Scottish North Sea firm job cuts

The National09-05-2025
The oil and gas firm said the cuts – about a quarter of its workforce in Aberdeen – come as part of a review of its UK operations.
The job losses are on top of 350 roles that were cut by the firm in 2023.
In an emergency press conference today (Friday), the Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce called for urgent government action, including an emergency summit of the Prime Minister and First Minister in an effort to prevent further job losses and accelerate green energy job creation.
READ MORE: The story of Donald Trump's visit to the Scottish Parliament
The organisation also called for the windfall tax (Energy Profits Levy) to be removed before the start of the next financial year and for the UK Government to back the Acorn carbon capture project.
Russell Borthwick, Chief Executive at AGCC, said: 'We are witnessing the start of deindustrialisation in the UK's energy capital. This is not what the public voted for, and this is reflected in our polling published today.
'The Energy Profits Levy is starving the sector of investment and damaging the very supply chain we need to deliver net zero. The country didn't vote for lost jobs, rising imports and higher emissions.'
The polling from Survation found that 68% of UK voters want to meet oil and gas demand from domestic production, rather than relying on imports. It also found that 27% believe the windfall tax has helped reduce household bills, with 62% calling it ineffective.
Borthwick added: 'Since the windfall tax was first imposed in May 2022, the price of Brent Crude oil has nearly halved. Meanwhile, the levy has been increased by successive governments.
'As the industry faces this punishing tax rate, coupled with uncertainty on environmental assessments and a closed-door on exploration, these findings show the UK has become a difficult place to do business.
'It leaves the country reliant on imported oil and gas, and has cost jobs from the energy supply chain which is vital for delivering projects in offshore wind, hydrogen, and carbon capture - all essential for net zero.
'The shift to renewables at scale is the goal, particularly offshore wind, but volatile transmission charges and the risk of zonal pricing are undermining investment plans. Policy should instead seek to put the energy transition back on the front foot.'
Trade unions are also blaming Labour for the job losses, saying the "hostile regulatory environment" created by the ban on new drilling licences is leading to oil and gas operators accelerating decisions "that are destructive to job security and UK energy security".
Unite General Secretary Sharon Graham said: 'The announcement by Harbour Energy that further jobs will be lost in Aberdeen is devastating news for the oil and gas sector. It's crystal clear that UK government policy is driving oil and gas companies out of the North Sea. It is directly leading to thousands of jobs being axed and to decommissioning plans being accelerated years ahead of schedule.'
"Unite fears that the scale of the job losses in the years to come will run in to the tens of thousands unless the UK government changes direction and produces a concrete plan with real jobs for the transition of North Sea workers.'
She added: "Governments need realise that for any just transition to work it needs to be a managed transition that puts the workers at its the centre. The current political ideology of prematurely ending the oil and gas industry without any thought to the impact it has on workers is unforgivable.'
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Newsom warns Trump he's 'playing with fire' on redistricting
Newsom warns Trump he's 'playing with fire' on redistricting

Daily Mail​

time10 minutes ago

  • Daily Mail​

Newsom warns Trump he's 'playing with fire' on redistricting

By Gavin Newsom sent a stern warning to President Donald Trump that he is 'playing with fire' over efforts to rewrite the congressional map in Texas. In a letter penned to the president on Monday, Newsom vowed to not 'stand idly by' as Texas along with other GOP-dominated states attempt to add more Republican seats to protect and enlarge their majority in the U.S. House. Democrats only need to flip three House seats to regain control of the chamber in the upcoming 2026 midterms . 'If you will not stand down, I will be forced to lead an effort to redraw the maps in California to offset the rigging of maps in red states,' Newsom wrote. The White House did not immediately respond to the Daily Mail's request for comment. Newsom goes on to address Trump directly by claiming the president is 'playing with fire' that will lead to the 'destabilization of our democracy.' 'You are playing with fire, risking the destabilization of our democracy, while knowing that California can neutralize any gains you hope to make,' Newsom added. 'This attempt to rig congressional maps to hold onto power before a single vote is cast in the 2026 election is an affront to American democracy.' Newsom, who many believe has aspirations for a presidential run in 2028, made similar comments last week after claiming he will 'fight fire with fire' against Gov. Greg Abbott's redistricting plan. 'The proposal that we're advancing with the legislature has a trigger only if they move forward, to dismantling the protocols that are well-established,' Newsom told the press. 'Would the state of California move forward in kind? Fighting? Yes, fire with fire.' Newsom's new letter to Trump is the most outspoken example of Democrats planning to counter the GOP redistricting in Texas. Democratic state lawmakers fled from Texas to deny the GOP the quorum necessary to vote on legislation in the state capital.

Trump signs order extending China tariff truce by 90 days, White House says
Trump signs order extending China tariff truce by 90 days, White House says

Reuters

time10 minutes ago

  • Reuters

Trump signs order extending China tariff truce by 90 days, White House says

WASHINGTON, Aug 11 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump has signed an executive order extending a tariff truce with China by another 90 days, a White House official said on Monday with only hours to go before U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods were due to snap back to triple-digit rates. The order followed a noncommittal answer by Trump to reporters as to whether he would extend the lower tariff rates a day after he urged Beijing to quadruple its purchases of U.S. soybeans. A tariff truce between Beijing and Washington was set to expire on Tuesday at 00:01 ET (04:01 GMT). The order prevents U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods from shooting up to 145%, with Chinese tariffs on U.S. goods set to hit 125%, rates that would have resulted in a virtual trade embargo. "We'll see what happens," Trump told a press conference, when asked how he planned to extend the deadline. "They've been dealing quite nicely. The relationship is very good with President Xi (Jinping) and myself." Imports from China are currently subject to 30% tariffs, including a 10% base rate and 20% in fentanyl-related tariffs imposed by Washington in February and March. China had matched the de-escalation, lowering its rate on U.S. imports to 10%. The two sides in May announced a truce in their trade dispute after talks in Geneva, Switzerland, agreeing to a 90-day period to allow further talks. They met again in Stockholm, Sweden in late July, but did not announce an agreement to further extend the deadline. Kelly Ann Shaw, a senior White House trade official during Trump's first term and now with Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, said she expected Trump to extend the 90-day "tariff détente" for another 90 days later on Monday. "It wouldn't be a Trump-style negotiation if it didn't go right down to the wire," she said, adding Trump could also announce progress in other aspects of the economic relationship as a backdrop for granting the extension. "The whole reason for the 90-day pause in the first place was to lay the groundwork for broader negotiations and there's been a lot of noise about everything from soybeans to export controls to excess capacity over the weekend," she said. Ryan Majerus, a former U.S. trade official now with the King & Spalding law firm, welcomed the news. 'This will undoubtedly lower anxiety on both sides as talks continue, and as the U.S. and China work toward a framework deal in the fall. I'm certain investment commitments will factor into any potential deal, and the extension gives them more time to try and work through some of the longstanding trade concerns," he said. The White House declined to comment beyond Trump's remarks. The Treasury Department and U.S. Trade Representative's Office did not respond to requests for comment. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said Washington has the makings of a deal with China and he was "optimistic" about the path forward. Trump pushed for additional concessions on Sunday, urging China to quadruple its soybean purchases, although analysts questioned the feasibility of any such deal. Trump did not repeat the demand on Monday. But Washington has also been pressing Beijing to stop buying Russian oil, with Trump threatening to impose secondary tariffs on China.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store